Severe Drought Grips Southern and Central Germany, Soil Moisture at Critical Low

The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) drought monitor shows a stark contrast in Germany's soil moisture. Southern and central regions, including Bavaria, Baden‑Württemberg, Hesse, Rhineland‑Palatinate and the Saarland, are marked by red and dark‑red zones indicating severe to extreme drought, conditions that statistically occur only once every 20‑30 years. Northern states display yellow to orange tones, signifying unusually dry to moderate drought.

Rainfall over the past week averaged just 10.3 mm nationwide, far below the climatological August norm. Bavaria recorded only 7.1 mm, Baden‑Württemberg 14.2 mm, while North Rhine‑Westphalia and the Saarland received virtually no rain. The forecast for the next three days predicts another scant 1.6 mm of precipitation across the country, offering little relief.

The monitor calculates a 14‑day average soil‑moisture index using data from roughly 2,500 German Weather Service stations and geographic inputs. Such prolonged dryness threatens forests, rivers and agricultural yields throughout the affected regions.